Propelling apparatus for aircraft



PY9, 1946. R. H. GODDARD l PROPELLING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT original Filed April 15, 1940 s sheets-sheet 1 NZZ .ldwa 2229@ April 9, 1946. R. H. GODDARD PROPELLING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT Original Filed April 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April "9, 1945- R. H. GODDARD 2397999 PROPELLING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT Original Filed April 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 9, 1946 UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE 2,397,999 PROPELLING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT Robert H. Goddard,

Roswell, N. Mex.; Esther C.

Goddard, executrix of said Robert H. Goddard, deceased, assignor of one-half to The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation,` New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application April 15, 1940, Serial No.

329,710. Divided and this application September 27, 1940, Serial N0. 358,5

7 Claims. (Cl. 170-1355) propeller provide eillcient operation at relatively low speeds, and the-direct rocket blast provides eillcient operation at high speeds or at high altitudes with relatively thin atmosphere.

It is the general object of my present invention to improve the construction shown in my prior patents and to effect more emcient and economical operation and easier adaptation to varying operative conditions.

More specifically, I have simplied the devices for shifting the apparatus from propeller operation to rocket operation and vice-versa, and I have constructed all parts of the apparatus to reduce air-resistance as much as possible.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention th'e drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial longitudinal sectionI of an aircraft embodying my improved construction;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of blades in the compressor turbine;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, ,taken through the propeller turbine;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view, looking in the direction of the arrow l5 in Fig. 1 and showing the arrangement of propeller turbine blades;

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view, showing the stream ned propeller turbine casing and its supports:

Fig. 7 is a rear casing;

Fig. 8 is a partial longitudinal section of one of the propeller supports:

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View, taken along the line 9 8 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a rocket nozzle;

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view, showing cooling devices to be described;

isy shown in elevation of the propeller and Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the line I 2-I2 in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of means for adjusting the rocket apparatus radially of the aircraft;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view, taken along the line |4-I4inFig.1;

Fig. 15 isla partial sectional view,'showing fuel feeding mechanism;

Fig. 16 isa partial1onginudinaiseetion ofthe;

combustion chamber;

Fig. 17 is aidetail perspective view,`showing thel rearv supporting bearing of an airl compressor;`

Fig. 18 is a detail sectional view, taken along-v thelinel8 I8inFig. 17; ,4

Fig. 19 is a plan view-of certain vanes associated with the front or air intake portion of the rocket apparatus;

Fig. 20 is a plan view Fig. 21 is a sectional l vided for adjusting the air intake vanes; i

Fig. 22 is a side elevation of asleeve with which the adjusting mechanism coacts;

Figs. 23 and 24 are side elevations of certain parts shown in Fig. 21;

Fig. 25 is a longitudinal sectional view to be described; and

of a single vane;

Fig. 26 isa transverse sectional view, taken along the line 26-26 in Fig. 2,5. l

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 6, my improved aircraft comprises a main aircraft body 30 having bearings 3| for avshaft 32 supporting a propeller 33 with blades 34,01' the usual aircraft type. Rocket enclosures 31, preferably two in number, are mounted at oppositel sides of the aircraft body 3.0 and are supported'fpr radial adjustmeni; by telescoping streamlined supporting members 40 and 4| (Figs. 1, 3 and 14). The outward position.v of one of the enclosures 31 is indicated at 3lIl in Figs. 1 and 6.

The aircraft'body 30 is provided with rack bars 44 (Fig. 13) engaged by pinions l5 mounted on the movable telescoping member 40. These pinions are conveniently operated by ilexible shafts 4l connected to a common source of power, so that they will rotate simultaneously and will move both ends of the member 40 inward or outward at the same rate and without binding.

When the rocket apparatus is in the inner position shown in section in Fig. 1, the rocket blast coacts with lturbine blades associated with the propeller 33 and drives the propeller by turbine action. The construction of the propeller turbine comprises a rim or band 50 o1' streamlined cross section, supported concentric with theshaf t 32 and mounted at the outer ends of the blades view oi' mechanism pro- I,

. the compressor portion 1I.

34. Two sets of rotating turbine blades 5| and 52 are mounted'on the band 50 and project outward therefrom to coact with sets of fixed blades 53, 54 and 55 extending inward from an outer band 56, mounted in fixed position at the rear of the main body 30;

The band 56 is supportedvby streamlined arms 58 (Fig. 6), and the entire turbine construction is'enclosed by front and rear streamlined casing;

'occupied by the band 56 and the fixed turbine blades.

My improved rocket apparatus comprises a rocketcasing C, best shown in Fig. 1, and including an entrance or air-intake portion 10, a compressor portion 1l, a combustion chamber 12 and an expansion nozzle 13. The casing C-is provided with a jacket J (Fig. 1) corresponding in section to the section of the rocket apparatus but spaced therefrom for cooling purposes to be Y described.`

The compressor 1I comprises a streamlined rotated member 15, mounted in bearings 16 (Fig.

17) which are securedby hollow iins l11 (Figs. 1'1 and 18)y to thecasing C at the opposite ends of The ilns 11 are streamlined as shown in Fig, 18 to provide minimum resistance to air ow. g f

The rotated member is provided with four sets ofr turbine blades 80, 8|, 82 and 83, which blades rotate between ilve sets of xed blades 84, 85, 86, 81 'and 88. The rotated member 15 is provided with pulleys or sprockets 90 and 9|, connected by belts or chains 92 to driving pulleys or sprockets 93 on the propeller shaft 32.

Special provision is made for continuous driving of the compressor member` 15, when the rocket apparatus occupies either an inner, outer or intermediate position. For this purpose, guide pulleys 95 (Fig. 3) for the belts or chains 92 are xed in the movable rocket support 48, and fixed guide pulleys 96 are provided in the aircraft body 30. Additional guide pulleys 98' are movably mounted in the body 30 and are pulled yieldingly outward by springs 99. The guide pulleys 98 are thus yieldingly movable from the full line to the dotted line position in Fig. 3, and thus permit the belts or chains to yield but still maintain continuous driving contact with the compressor member 15, when the rocket apparatus is in any selected position. It will be noted that this takeup mechanism does not call for any reversal of motion in the belts or chains`92, which is a matter of considerable importance in high speed operation. I

The compressor portion 1l of the casing C is gradually contracted rearward, as shown in Fig.

1, and the outerdiameter of the sets of fixed and movable blades is also progressively contracted rearward. It will be noted, however, that all of the movable blades are of substantial radius, and that they are longer and consequently travelfaster at the front end where the air is under less pressure and of greater bulk.

The cross section and operation of the successive sets of blades in the compressor is best shown i-n Fig. 2, where the entering air is indicated by the arrow a and the air discharged from the compressor is indicated by the arrow b. It will be The arms 58 Fig. l.

noted that the air enters and leaves the compressor substantially along the line of its longitudinal flow through the rocket apparatus.

The xed blades 84 deflect the air sidewise without shock, and the moving blades tend to reverse the direction of air ilow and deliver the air to the fixed blades 85, where thedirection of flow is again reversed. Substantially the same operations are repeated in the succeeding sets of blades, with the last xed set 88 deflecting the air to approximately axial discharge.

It will be noted that the exit ends of the moving blades are less widely spaced than the entering ends, so that the air is successively compressed as it leaves each set of 4moving blades. This compressive effect is further increased by the fact that the diameters of the successive sets of blades are progressively reduced, asindicated in The design of the turbine blades is thus such that the blades tend toA compress the air and force'it rearward, rather than to give it high velocity. The changes in direction of air iiow are also designed to utilize the inertia of the air to assist in increasing its density.

Fuel is delivered to the apparatus in the reduced portion |00 (Fig. 1) between the Acompressor portion 1| and the combustion ychamber 12, at

which portion |00 the air is highly heated by' adiabatic compression. A sparkplug |01 is provided for initial ignition of the mixed air and fuel Vvapor,and the combustion chamber is expanded rearward to its middle portion to permit initial expansion of the highly heated combustion gases.

At its rear portion, the'chamber 'l2 is contracted and delivers the combustion gases under pressure to the nozzle 13, which is of substantial length and which has a relatively long taper. The nozzle 13 is preferably of the shape shown in Fig. 10, with a circular cross section at the intake and with a rectangular cross section at the delivery end. This rectangular cross section delivers the rocket blast more effectively to the turbine blades.

When the rocket apparatus is in the inner position shown in Fig. l, the rocket blast is directed against the turbine blades and between the bands 50 and 56. The aircraft is then operated very largely by the propeller blades 34 and only to a relatively slight extent by the direct rocket blast. This method of operation is preferred when starting or when operating at relatively slow speed.

As the speed increases, the rocket apparatus may be moved outward so that it partly or wholly clears the propeller turbine structure. The streamlined section of the band 56 permits a portion of the blast to be sent through the turbine blades, while the outer portion of the blast is discharged directly against the atmosphere.

The ends of the blades are shaped to conform to the streamlined section of the bands 50 and 56 and tio provide minimum clearance, as shown in Fig.

The cross section of the turbine blades and the operation thereof is clearly shown in Fig. 5 where the fixed blades 53 deflect the entering air sidewise or inthe direction of turbine rotation, the movable blades 5I, the fixed blades 54 and the movable'blades 52 successively reverse the direction of air flow, and the fixed blades 55 deflect bands |50 and energy of the gases in producing rapid rotation of the propeller. There is little or no compression of the combustion gases in the rocket blast.

It is desirable to vary the size of the front opening of the entrance portion of the rocket casing, so that a varying amount of air may be received in accordance with varying operative conditions. For instance, at higher altitudes and in'a thinner atmosphere, more air should enter the rocket apparatus than at lower elevations or where the atmosphere is more dense. On the other hand, an increase in speed without change of atmospheric density would produce an undesired increase in the amount of air delivered to the combustion chamber, if no adjustment were provided. I accordingly provide the special construction shown on sheet 3 of the drawings, by which the front opening of the air entrance portion of the rocket apparatus may be increased or decreased as desired.

The entrance portion 10 of the casing C (Fig. l), the entrance portion ||0 of the jacket J, .and the entrance portion ||2 of the enclosure 31 :irc each formed of circular overlapping vanes 25, |2| and |22 (Figs. 25 and 26) respectively. These vanes are each pivoted at their rear ends as indicated at |23 f Figs. 19 and 20), and at their free ends they are secured in assembled relation as shown in Fig. 26.

A sleeve is secured between each pair of associated vanes |2| and |22` and is disposed circumferentially within the outer casing 31. lars |3| and |32 are mounted in the ends of each sleeve |30 and are provided with right and lefthand threads which respectively receive adjusts The screw |33 is proaxial recess which telescope therein, and

ing screws |33 and |34.

vided with an unthreaded permits the screw |34 to the screw |34 is provided with a cross-pin |36 slidable in elongated slots |31 in the screw |33.

A sleeve |30 and associated right and left-,hand screws are provided foreach assembled set of vanes |20, |2| and |22 as shown in Fig. 26, and cou pling members are provided between the adjacent sets. The adjacent ends of the screw |33 of one set and the screw |34 of the next set are loosely connected to one of the coupling members |40 by pins |42 and |43, disposed at right angles therein. The couplings |40 thus form universal joints between the ends of adjacent screws.

One of the couplings |40a may be provided with sprocket teeth engaged by a chain |46 and by which chain the couplings |40 and associated parts may be rotated manually or from any suitable source of power. The associated vanes |20 and |2| are held at a fixed distance apart radially by connecting studs |41, so that the cooling space between the casing C and the jacket J may re main of constant radial thickness` When the couplings and screws are rotated in the collars |3| and |32 ofthe sleeves |30 on the several sets of vanes, the associated screws.|33 and |34 will be telescopically contracted or expanded, according to the direction of rotation. Consequently, the several sets of v'anes will be drawn toward each other or pushed apart at their free or entrance ends, thus contracting or expanding the bell-shaped mouth of the casing portion 10. When the vanes are expanded, the com- Col-l pressive effect on the air is correspondingly increased.

In order to produce elective circulation of air in the jacket space, I provide circumferential |5| (Figs. 11 and l2) in the space between the casing C and the jacket J The outer band |50 is of somewhat conical section, as indicated in Fig. 1l, and is supported within the jacket J by streamlined radial struts |52 (Fig.

12). The bands |5| are substantially cylindrical in shape and are supported by circumferential rings |54 having the double concaved section shown in Fig. 11.

As air enters the jacket space in the direccion of the arrow c in Fig. 11, it passes between the bands |50 and |5| and is directed inward by the conical band |50 so that it whirls about as indicated by the arrows d in the spaces between the rings |54 and is brought denitely in contact with the casing C of the compressor portion 10 and combustion chamber 12, thus effectively cooling these surfaces.

heavier air outward and to retain the lighter heated air in contact with the casing` C.

In order to prevent interference with the flow of air and gases in the casing C, the spark-plug |0| is preferably mounted in a recess |60 (Fig. 16) formed between the casing C and the jacket J and suitably streamlined.

The rear edge |62 (Fig. 1) of the jacket J is preferably curved inward to produce a jet or aspirator effect at the rear end of the jacket and adjacent the rocket blast from the nozzle 13.

The means provided for admission of liquid fue] to the combustion chamber 12 is best shown in Figs. 15, 17 and 18. An annular fuel feed pipe |10 surrounds the casing C at the portion |00, and is provided with a streamlined covering |1|. A fuel connection |12 from a suitable fuel storage is led to the pipe |10 through a streamlined strut |13 (Fie. 11i. Spray openings or nozzles |15 deliver jets or ne sprays of fuel forward into the stream of compressed air moving rapidly rearward through the casing portion |00.

For more effective mixing of the fuel and air, I utilize the hollow struts 11 of the rear bearing 16 of the compressor 15. 'I'hese hollow struts are connected to the pipe |10 and are provided with additional openings or nozzles |16 in their side or other liquid fuel are thus effectively distributed through the air stream, so that a very complete and uniform mixture is immediately attained.

Having described the details of construction of my improved apparatusY it is believed that the method of operation of the several parts will be readilyY pparcnt. It is particularly advantageous that the turbine 50 is operated by gas which has been ccelcd by expansion through the relatively long nozzle 13.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In an aircraft` a rocket apparatus, a propeller having a turbine mechanism positioned te intercept the blast from said rocket apparatus. and means to move said rocket apparatus radially outward in said aircraft beyond the locus of operation of said turbine construction.

2. In an aircraft, a body, rocket apparatus mounted on said body and radially adjustable toward and from said body, a propeller, a propeller shaft mounted in said body, turbine meching members between said body apparatus, streamlined 4- anism mounted on said propeller shaft and positioned to intercept; the blast from said rocket apparatus, and streamlined telescoping supportand said rocket apparatus.

3. In an aircraft, a body, a rocket apparatus mounted on said body and radially adjustable toward and from said body, a propeller, a propeller shaft mounted in said body, turbine mechanism mounted on said propeller shaft and positioned to intercept the blast from said rocket telescoping supporting members between said body and said rocket apparatus, and means to move all parts of said rocket apparatus simultaneously and at the same rate inward and outward relative to said body.

4. In an aircraft having a propeller and a propellei` shaft, rocket apparatus mounted at the .side o said craft and radially adjustable toward and from said propeller shaft, an air compressor in said rocket apparatus, turbine mechanism mounted on said shaft and positioned to intercept the blast from said rocket apparatus, and means to drive said air compressor from said propeller shaft in all adjusted radial positions of said rocket apparatus.

5. In an aircraft, a propeller shaft, turbine mechanism to drive said shaft, a rocket apparatus mounted for radial adjustment toward and from said shaft and turbine mechanism, an air compressor in said rocket apparatus, a belt drive from said shaft to said compressor, and take-up means for said belt which yieldingly keeps the belt under tension in all adjusted radial positions of said rocket apparatus.

6. In an aircraft, a rocket apparatus, a propeller having a turbine mechanism positioned to intercept the blast from said rocket apparatus, means to move said rocket apparatus radially outward in said aircraft beyond the locus of operation of said turbine construction, a belt drive from said shaft to said compressor, take-up guide pulleys engaging portions of said belt, and means to move said pulleys yeldingly away from each other to tension said beltin all positions of the rocket apparatus.

'7. In an aircraft, a rocket apparatus, a propeller, and an associated peripheral turbine mechanism interposed in the path of the rocket blast, said turbine mechanism comprising movable blades mounted on said propeller and xed blades mounted on a xed encircling band having a streamlined section which reduces interference with the rocket blast, the outer ends of the movable blades being curved to conform to the streamlined section of the fixed encircling band and thereby reducing leakage at the ends of said blades.

ROBERT H. GODDARD. 

